Zimbra readies open-source business e-mail

Zimbra on Tuesday will release a second beta test of its messaging and calendaring software and introduce a version targeted specifically to businesses.

Using an open-source business model and a modern development technique known as Ajax, the start-up is looking to unseat entrenched messaging suppliers IBM and Microsoft.

The company, which launched its first beta in August, makes its Web-based messaging product available for free with an open-source license. It intends to make money by charging corporate customers a license fee for a more functional "Network" version and a yearly support fee based on the number of mailboxes used.

On Tuesday, the San Mateo, Calif.-based company will make its first Network version available. The edition includes features to ease administration, such as simplified backup tools, support for clustered servers and storage tools for managing end-user mailbox accounts.

Also on Tuesday, Zimbra intends to release the "open-source" version of its Collaboration Suite, which includes a shared-calendar feature that combines several calendars onto a single view. For instance, a person can subscribe to a calendar feed for sports team schedules or business-oriented information, such as a calendar of conferences.

The updated beta version also allows people to receive RSS or Atom feeds in their e-mail inbox and to search through attachments.

Zimbra has designed the product so people do not need to flip between e-mail, calendar and other applications, said Scott Dietzen, the company's chief technology officer.

For example, a small window with product information from a packaged sales application shows over a customer name or product number. These features draw on Ajax development, where information can be automatically sent from server to client, noted Dietzen.

Zimbra will make a 60-day trial available for its Network edition. It now has about 12 corporate customers trial-testing its software and support products, Dietzen said.

[dazhichen]

threat to Outlook?

is this finally a threat to Outlook? i think Ajax is the way to go - mostly cuz it's so fast....and most corporate users are always online anyway....

Dazhi Chen

no, but a threat to exchange

Why bother to install and MS Exchange server, when you can get all the funcitonality for free? Can't be bothered to install and maintain it, use Zimbra's hosted service.

The time taken to initialize and login are of the order of 20 seconds over a 2M broadband connection, but other than that, response is quite good.

More on functionality, after I have had a good play.

[dazhichen]

works well! - Dazhi Chen

I tried this out personally last week, and it's pretty neat! good slick coding...

- Dazhi Chen
- Dazhi Chen